Aftermath
by TigerofFire116
Summary: After the war with Tartaros, what became of Erza after she learned of Fairy Tail's upcoming disbandment? Add a guild on the run from the law, five newly released criminals, and the man she can't keep out of her head for one unexpected journey.
1. Chapter 1

Erza sat alone on the road, trying her best to forget. Her weary body trembled as visions of the past played in her mind's vicious eye. What she had tried to forget in the past was bubbling up to the surface after her encounter with the demons.

 _It happened again,_ she pondered miserably. Her anxious blood ran cold. _I've been tricked, betrayed. Will I still be able to believe in the goodness of people?  
_

She feared her abuse at the hands of Kyoka would leave her broken. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to put the pieces of herself back together.

"You can," a voice spoke to her from behind. "You, of all people, can."

Erza inhaled sharply and twisted her head around in shock. He was standing there quietly, whole and intact. He smiled at her as he turned to leave. The rest of Crime Sorciere was gathered at the edge of the street.

"You can," Jellal repeated, walking away to regain his comrades. "Don't worry. You'll be okay. You know the weaknesses and strengths of man well enough. So continue on the path of light, just as you've done all along."

Erza was surprised, though perhaps not as much as she should have been to see five familiar figures standing with Meredy. The figures consisted of the Oracion Seis, their former enemies. The seven of them were nearly departed when Erza stepped forward.

"Wait," she called out. Jellal paused and looked back at her over his shoulder. He waited patiently for her to find her voice.

"Where are you going?" Erza asked

"Yeah, where are we going?" Angel asked in a snippy tone. "Did you have a plan past Tartaros? There's no one there left to fight."

The girl glanced at Erza.

"That's correct, isn't it? We followed the dragons to Magnolia and checked out the crashed stronghold. It looked abandoned."

"The demons really did a number on your place," Cobra commented. "But I bet I could have done better."

Erza nodded slowly. It was strange to be speaking what she hoped to be passively with the Six Demons. Especially…

Erza made eye contact with Midnight. He stared at her silently, his dark eyes unreadable as always.

"Tartaros is destroyed," she informed the group. Racer scowled and crossed his arms.

"And after we got all psyched up to kick some demon butt. Couldn't you have left us at least one?"

Erza flinched, and Jellal exchanged a glance with Racer.

"Easy, Sawyer," he said quietly. "I'm sure it wasn't an easy fight."

Angel looked back at Erza.

"Did you fight any of them?" she questioned curiously. Erza nodded.

"Kyoka," she said quietly, folding her arms tensely. Jellal's eyes widened, but he said nothing.

"I hope you beat her, at the very least," Midnight spoke at last. He watched Erza with his dark eyes. "I haven't forgotten that you defeated me once, Erza Scarlet. It was long ago, but I remember."

"Of course she did!" Meredy staunchly supported her faithfully. Erza avoided their gaze and looked back at Racer.

"Your name is Sawyer?" she questioned curiously. He looked irritable, which was not a far cry from how she had seen him before, but he nodded.

"We shouldn't talk here," Jellal said, cautioning his comrades. He glanced around, scanning the street. "This place is too populated for us."

"We should have left sooner," Angel complained. "But no, you had to check on your- ow!"

Meredy had slugged Angel in the arm quickly. Angel glowered at her, but didn't say anything.

"So where are we headed?" Cora questioned impatiently.

"On the path of love," Richard said both dreamily and enthusiastically. Cobra looked disgusted.

"Shut it, Hoteye," he growled. The larger man looked offended.

"I told you, I have rejected that name."

Erza caught Jellal's eye as he looked back at the individuals.

"Fairy Tail is going to disband," she said softly. The group looked surprised.

"Really?" Jellal asked quietly. A shocked look spread across his face. Erza nodded.

"The master told me this morning."

"Do you know the reason?"

She shrugged one shoulder slightly.

"I'm not positive, but the master has something critical he must do. Everyone has their own path to be on right now. They don't need the guild for the time being." She looked down, disheartened.

"What about you?" Meredy questioned curiously. Erza looked down.

"I'm uncertain."

Angel looked bored. She twirled a strand of her white hair around her finger before speaking.

"Why don't you just come with us?" she suggested. Both Erza and Jellal looked surprised.

"I don't…" Erza started, her heart squeezing in protest.

"That's not…" Jellal trailed off. They glanced at each other uneasily.

"Why not?" Meredy smiled. "She can travel with us for a while. You can search for your path along the way, Erza."

Erza looked at Jellal for a moment. His expression was unreadable.

"It's not easy," he warned her. "You would be traveling with fugitives."

Erza looked at the collection of mages that made up Crime Sorciere.

"I'm aware," she replied. Meredy scanned the street, and then made a motion for her guild to follow her.

"We can't stay here," she mentioned. She pulled her hood tighter over her pink hair and started to walk in the direction that led out of town. The others turned and moved in the same direction.

Erza stood still for a moment, watching them leave a second time. It was as if she stood on the edge of a precipice. She began to move away, but then followed in their footsteps, as if her feet were being pulled their way. Meredy beamed as Erza caught up to them. Erza glanced around and caught Jellal trying to conceal a small and soft smile. She relaxed and gave a tiny smile in return.


	2. Chapter 2

"How did you all manage to join the independent guild?" Erza questioned the former member of the Oracion Seis. They had been walking for some time, and her curiosity was catching up to her.

"Erik helped us," Angel began.

"Hey!" Cobra shouted back. Angel sniffed, but relented.

"Fine. _Cobra_ traded information about Tartaros to a member of the council for our release right after the Magic Council was blown up."

"Erik?"

Angel smirked.

"Cobra doesn't like it when we use his real name," she told Erza. The girls were walking slowly, lagging behind the rest of the group.

"I see," Erza murmured. "Is Angel an alias as well?"

Angel looked uneasy for a moment, then nodded.

"Mmhm."

"If you don't mind my asking, what is your real name?"

"Sorano." The white-haired girl was silent for a short length of time, but then continued.

"I hadn't heard my name in a long time. It's kind of nice to hear it again."

Erza smiled at her. It was nice to see the girl making an effort for change.

"What about the others?"

"Well, you already know Richard, Erik, and Sawyer." Sorano pointed to Midnight, who was walking steadily and silently several dozen paces ahead of them. "He's Macbeth. Although it's difficult to think of him as anyone other than Midnight."

Erza agreed with her assessment.

"He doesn't mind if we call him Macbeth, though. He was the only one to introduce himself to Jellal and Meredy."

Sorano stiffened as they continued to walk.

"Jellal's kind of creepy," she whispered in a confidential manner. "I mean, he's a good guy and all that boring light stuff, but I don't like how he can pull things out of your mind. You would think I'd be used to that with Cobra, but at least I know him, annoying as he is."

Erza was surprised.

"He can use listening telepathy like Cobra?" she asked curiously. Sorano nodded.

"It's different, though. Cobra hears what's in your heart's voice, what you are thinking at that very moment. Jellal can pull things from memory, things you haven't thought about in years, as well as what Cobra does, albeit on a lesser scale. He probably has regular telepathy as well."

"Yes." Erza remembered hearing Jellal's voice before. She had thought it might have been her imagination, but deep inside, she had known it wasn't.

"Anyway, so all six of us got out, but guess who was waiting for us. The amnesiac wonder himself and Meldy."

"It's Meredy!" Meredy corrected irritably from her place walking on the other side of Erza. "You know full well what my name is, Sorano!"

"It just slipped my mind," Sorano said smoothly. "It's not my fault you have such a forgettable name."

Meredy scowled.

"Aren't you going to mention the part where you were all bested by that wonder? And he doesn't have amnesia anymore!"

"Touchy, touchy." Sorano examined her fingernails for a moment while walking, then spoke again.

"It's true that there was a minor skirmish, but it didn't last long. Four on one is impressive odds, especially against the four of us."

"You said the six of you were released," Erza mentioned. "What happened to Brain?"

"Oh, Cobra got rid of him," Sorano flicked her hand dismissively. "He might be dead by now. We didn't stick around to check."

"Really?" Erza asked in disbelief. "You attacked your guild master?"

Sorano sniffed indignantly.

"Brain hasn't been out guild master in a long time," she countered. "He didn't care about us; he only wanted his precious seals to fix his identity problems. He cared more about Kludoa than any of us."

"Kludoa?"

Sorano sighed.

"Brain's skull stick. Had a giant green orb in its mouth sometimes. Was really annoying whenever it came to life."

"Right…"

Sorano rolled her eyes.

"Near the end of our fight, Midnight made this stealth illusion of Zero taking over Brain's body and killing Jellal. It was a really solid nightmare. Even I was fooled. But the stupid wonder broke through the illusion by crushing his eyes."

"He crushed his eyes?!" Erza instinctively looked up and scanned for Jellal, but since he and the others were ahead of them. She couldn't see his face.

"Don't worry," Meredy assured her. "He can see now. He had to wear bandages for a while, but his eyes healed quickly."

"Basically," Sorano continued, "He defeated us, then asked us to join Crime Sorciere."

"And you agreed?"

Sorano looked aside.

"Not exactly. I was going to follow him, and Richard wanted to as well, but Jellal was determined to find Tartaros. We were gonna ditch them because we didn't want to risk breaking the Balam Alliance pact, but we decided to follow them and helped out when they got attacked by a former friend of Meredy's."

"No friend of mine," Meredy said almost sadly. "Rusty Rose was a former member of Grimoire Heart with me."

"Meldy here was actually pretty brave about the whole thing," Sorano complimented. "Braver than most of my whiny victims, anyway. You've heard of Karan Lilica? She kept complaining about how she couldn't summon her spirits because she couldn't control a rebellious lion. I finally just killed her and took her keys to shut her up. Oh, and because I wanted them. She had a couple of nice gates."

Meredy, who began looking pleased, frowned at the mention of Sorano's victims, even one from years ago.

"Rusty trapped me in one of his spells. He was going to kill Jellal to encourage me to join him and his imaginary Grimoire Heart. He would have killed us both, but the Seis knocked him out."

Erza glance at Sorano, who smiled slightly under her hood.

"Yeah, we were following them anyway," she said. "So we might as well lend a hand to these suicidal maniacs. Besides, that Rusty guy came by before he went psycho, and I didn't like his aura. He wasn't about to let Melby go."

"Meredy."

"Indeed."

Erza noticed that, besides the teasing, the pair seemed to enjoy each other's female company. She smiled, happy to see Meredy gaining a companion to soften the blow of losing Ultear.

"We decided we would stick around with you rabble," Sorano insulted seamlessly. "You guys need the help."

"Gee, thanks," Meredy scoffed.

"No offense," Sorano added as an afterthought. She tugged at her cloak. "But this color of blue is really outdated. The ensemble should be changed so we won't look like homeless sociopaths."

"I told you to shut up about that."

"White would be better, and without these hideous hoods."

While Sorano and Meredy were squabbling, Erza looked ahead, noticing the others had stopped advancing. The girls walked up to them and peered over the ridge they stood on. Sorano gasped.

"A city!"

And indeed there was a large city sprawling against the green and lush landscape. The settlement was packed with tall buildings and was blazing with light.

"Can we go there?" Meredy asked. She looked wistful.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Jellal rumbled, trying to veto the idea. All five of the former Seis looked down longingly at the city.

"I bet there are beds down there," Sawyer grinned. Sorano groaned.

"Okay, I'm going down there," she said firmly. "With or without you guys."

"Sorano-"

"No," the white-haired girl pouted. "I thought we were supposed to have true freedom. I want the freedom to take a bath and sleep in a bed. Then we can go back to being fugitives."

"We're always fugitives, Sorano." Jellal sighed. "If it's that important to you, then we can spend the night there. But," he said, just as the others were about to celebrate, "We're eating here."

The rest of the group didn't seem to mind. Erza watched as they gathered their packs in a pile, then set up a small fire. Meredy set a pot over the fire and began adding ingredients. Erza knelt next to her and observed her work.

"What are you making?" she asked curiously. Meredy grinned.

"My famous stew. Here."

She stirred the concoction in the pot a few moments more, then scooped a ladleful into a bowl she had waiting. She handed it to Erza. Erza peered at the brown soup. It contained lumps of what appeared to be vegetables and several types of meat. She inhaled deeply, taking the scent into herself. It smelled delicious. She swallowed a spoonful and gasped when it hit her tongue.

"It's exquisite!" she admired. Meredy beamed happily.

"I try to make a few different things, but this is my favorite."

"It's mine as well," Jellal spoke, settling down on the other side of Meredy. She gave him a large bowl and he dug into the meal enthusiastically.

Soon, everyone was served and devouring Meredy's stew contentedly. Cobra finished slurping his portion and tossed the bowl to the ground. He grinned across the fire at Jellal.

"You ready, loser?"

Erza expected Jellal to rebuke Cobra, but instead he merely dipped his head and smiled. The pair simultaneously straightened their postures and stared at each other across the fire. Their eyes were unwaveringly locked, neither one blinking. Their expressions were deadly serious.

Erza shifted awkwardly, made uncomfortable by the sudden silence.

"What are they doing?" she asked quietly. Meredy grinned.

"My favorite part of the night," she spoke happily. "It's like a training session. Right now, Cobra and Jellal are sparring inside their minds. They're focused on trying to make the other react."

"React?" Erza questioned. Meredy nodded.

"Yeah. They're thinking of things that will make the other laugh, or get angry, or whatever. It's practice for influencing opponents and keeping organized thoughts; reading minds while focusing on trickery. Whoever reacts first loses and has to tell us what the winner told him."

"Sounds interesting." Erza glanced at Cobra and Jellal. They were both still frozen like statues. Their only movements were occasional blinks and the rise and fall of their chests.

"Who usually wins?"

Sawyer grunted.

"We've played this twice before. It's the new after-dinner ritual. Jellal won the first time, but the next night Cobra beat him. So it's a tie so far."

He grinned.

"Jellal has also been showing me how to increase my speed. Not just in my time warp, but with my actual body, too."

Erza nodded respectfully in acknowledgement.

"That's excellent. It's always a benefit to work on improving your skills."

"J

She tilted her head at the sound of an annoyed sigh filled her ears. She glanced at the opponents, but they remained still. She looked to the side and noticed Midnight. His expression looked bored, but a hint of a smile tugged at his mouth.

Cobra and Jellal were still for several more moments. But then pink began creeping up Jellal's cheeks as he ducked away in an embarrassed blush. Cobra grinned wickedly.

"I win," he gloated. He stood up and stretched. Then he pointed back down at his competitor. "Now tell 'em what I told you."

Jellal, still crouched on the ground, shook his head firmly. Cobra frowned.

"You have to. Tell them or I will."

"Spit it out," Sawyer called. "Aren't we all friends here?"

"If Jellal-sama has no wish to tell us, then I will not pry," Richard offered. Cobra growled.

"That might be fine for you, but I want him to tell her."

 _Her?_

Erza looked at Jellal's face, which was flushed a deep shade of crimson. She wondered what Cobra had told him.

"If you want me to tell you, I will," Cobra laughed at her.

"No!" Jellal insisted. His fists were clenched and his jaw was tight. Sorano sighed.

"Can he just tell one of us or something? Stalemates are so boring." Then she smirked. "Though I would like to know what made the poor man get so flustered."

Cobra protested, but then relented.

"Fine." He gestured with his head towards Erza. "Tell her."

"No," Jellal refused. He sat up and put his face near Meredy's ear. He whispered quietly so only she could hear his words. Meredy giggled as Jellal pulled away from her.

"Well, no wonder," she laughed. "Good one, Erik."

Cobra looked pleased, not even insisting Meredy call him by his chosen alias.

"You should still tell the redhead, but I guess that's good enough for now."Jellal pulled his hood over his hair and looked out at the city.

"If we are going down there, we should begin now."


	3. Chapter 3

Erza and the guild carefully maneuvered down the dirt road to the city. As they reached the tall stone gates, Jellal made a slight motion with his thumb. The other members of Crime Sorciere followed his signal and donned their hoods to conceal their identities.

"What's this place called?" Sorano wondered, rubbing the fabric of her cloak hood distastefully with her fingers.

"Orchid," Erza answered, glancing around at the city. She had visited this nearby town on a number of her guild jobs when she was younger, and still learning to use her magic. "This is the city of Orchid."

Sorano sniffed.

"The names of the Fiore cities are so stupid!" she hissed.

"The names of flowers inspire peace," Jellal told her. "They don't strike fear into possible enemies because that isn't their intention."

Cobra rolled his eyes.

"If you say so."

His attention was captured at the sight of an apothecary shop in the midst of the bustling city. His expression brightened as he took a step forward.

"Can we go in there?" he asked, already walking towards the place. The large windows of the shop revealed tables and shelves filled with glass jars of plants and ingredients. He took a deep breath and licked his lips, excitement on his face.

"Why?" Erza asked curiously. Sorano laughed.

"Cobra's looking for venom to restore his Poison Drive," she told Erza. By then, they were all crammed inside the small store. Several exiting patrons gave Richard's huge form a dirty look while trying to squeeze past.

"What is that?" Erza questioned.

"The Poison Drive is what activates his Poison Force. You know a dragon slayer with Dragon Force, right?"

"Yes."

Erza's mind turned to Natsu and the others. What would they be doing once the guild disbanded?

"Well, for second generation dragon slayers, they need to eat their element to power up and go into the Dragon Force Mode. Cobra uses his for fighting. One touch of his claws can cause your body to begin rotting."

That sounded horrifying to Erza, but she knew Cobra relished in the power.

"He used to get his venom from Cubellious, his giant purple snake, but he got separated from her when we were arrested a long time ago." Sorano lowered her voice as if she was spreading gossip. "He really misses Cubellious. You should have seen them together. It was like they were dating."

Erza glanced at Cobra, who was too absorbed in a rack of colorful liquids to hear them. She was somewhat familiar with his snake. Cubellious had bitten her during their first encounter, and her venom had nearly killed her. It was only thanks to Wendy's healing magic that she was still alive.

"I'm sure he wants to find her," Erza murmured quietly.

"I think he already has," Sorano pondered. Erza looked at her in surprise. Sorano looked disinterested, but continued.

"When we were arrested the second time," she mentioned softly, "Cobra gave himself up, but he wouldn't tell us why. But he seemed happier, as if he ran into someone who lifted his spirits. Before, he'd been a miserable lump."

Erza nodded slowly. She had fought Cobra during the Neo-Oracion Seis incident, and he had been incredibly sad and lonely without his only friend.

Cobra straightened, a jar of dried blue beetles in his hand. He thundered to the counter and slapped the container down on the hard wood. The man behind the counter was leaning back on a stool, his eyes fixed on the newspaper in front of his face.

"These are lapis beetles, right? Are they venomous?"

"Nope," the shopkeeper said in a monotone manner, turning the page of his paper. "Poisonous."

Cobra looked excited.

"What is it on the poison scale? Does it kill?"

"On the scale from 1-20, lapis poison is a 0.5," the shopkeeper replied, sounding bored. "It would barely give you a stomachache."

Cobra frowned, disappointed and aggravated.

"Do you have _anything_ deadly in this place?" he asked irritably. The man finally looked up.

"Why do you want poison?" he asked seriously. Cobra grinned.

"To eat," he said devilishly. The shopkeeper glanced at Jellal, who was standing silently behind Cobra.

"Is this a suicide attempt?" he asked. Jellal shook his head.

"He eats poison to increase his power," he explained. "It you happen to have any venom, we would be happy to take it off your hands."

The shopkeeper examined them with his eyes closely before nodding.

"Mages, right?" Without waiting for an answer, he turned around and rifled through a stack of drawers behind him. "I keep venom locked up for anti-venom purposes, but I think I've got something for you."

Erza watched as the owner of the shop retrieved a sealed container from a locked chest.

"This is extract of nightshade," he told Cobra. "Poison from a deadly plant."

Cobra bent down close to the canister, uncorking it, and inhaled deeply. He sighed in pleasure.

"That smells good," he muttered. Jellal placed several silver coins on the counter and picked up the can. He made eye contact with his comrades and walked out of the apothecary. A surprised Cobra followed him with the others trailing behind. Outside, Erza noticed Jellal pass the nightshade to Cobra. Cobra held the precious poison in one hand while stuffing a clear glass jar of yellow liquid into his pocket.

Erza opened her mouth to say something, but Sorano nudged her quiet.

"Where did you get money?" Sawyer questioned as they walked down the street beneath the blue sky.

"We do some personal jobs," Meredy answered. "Or get personal rewards and spoils from breaking up dark guilds. It's not a lot, and we don't use it much, but we do have some money."

As they continued, Meredy suggested they cut through a park on the way to a hotel. They were passing by a pond when a strange woman approached them. She had long, curly red hair, leaf-green eyes, and a curvy body that caught the eyes of all of the men in the park, including the ones in their group. She smiled at them warmly with brilliantly white teeth.

Erza's muscles tensed before she even realized it. A wave of uneasiness rose inside her body. She was forced to knot her fists to keep herself under control.

The woman scanned the strange group for a moment, then prowled up to Jellal. She lifted a hand and tugged his hood down past his ears quickly before he could move. She grinned wolfishly. Erza's heart instinctively clenched.

"Oh, you're a pretty one," she admired. The woman pressed close to his body, looking disappointed when Jellal stepped back warily.

"There's no need to be shy," she crooned softly. She gave the others a fleeting glance and looked back at him.

"Who're the rest of the gang?" she questioned with a purr. "Do they have to stick around?"

Jellal stared at her evenly. Erza found herself gritting her teeth in anger. Who did this woman think she was?

"They're my family," Jellal told the woman, whose green eyes seemed to glow in the growing dark. "I stay with them."

"That's a pity," the woman murmured, pressing her bodice against his cloak. "Are you sure I can't persuade you to change your mind?"

"What's your name?" Jellal asked the woman.

"Scarlett Hayes," she replied with a charming smile. Erza felt her stomach twist into a knot. Jellal's expression impressed and surprised. Erza's entrails continued to squirm until he voiced his next thought.

"My night is already taken," Jellal spoke quietly, stretching his hand behind his back. His fingers found Erza's and tugged her hand to his side. "My own Scarlet and my friends own me for this and every other night."

Scarlett raised her hand and brushed her fingers lightly through Jellal's forelock. Erza's stomach, which had squeezed during Jellal's declaration, began to tighten again.

"Shame," Scarlett lamented. She slipped away and drew deeper into the park. Jellal watched after her for a moment, then ushered the guild out of the park quickly. Erza's hand remained in his tight fingers.

Jellal released her once they got back to the main streets.

"Sorry," he apologized without looking at her. "I just wanted to get us out of there."

"It's okay," Erza said quietly, staring at her feet. Cobra shivered.

"Well, that was a disgusting display. Why did we have to go this way again?"

Meredy looked embarrassed. She buried her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized. "It looked like a shortcut!"

"Yeah, a shortcut right to tramp town," he remarked with an annoyed sigh.

Jellal pulled his hood back over his head and stepped into a nearby hotel. The man at the desk looked up as he approached.

"I'd like to arrange for two rooms," Jellal addressed him. The innkeeper opened his record book and laid it out on the desk.

"Fill this out," he told him. Erza glanced at the record book. It asked for names. Jellal paused for a moment, then wrote false names for the company. He disguised himself as Jacin Falcon, Erza turned into Ezra Vermilion, and Meredy transformed into Mary Carnation. The others were allowed to write in their own aliases.

The boys received one room while the three girls were given the other. Sorano practically squealed when she saw their room.

"A bath!" she exclaimed. "And a bed!" She raced over to the bed and jumped onto it face-first. Meredy relaxed onto the other bed with a sigh.

"Just so you know," Meredy said, her voice muffled by a pillow she had placed over her head. "This is an occasion. We don't stay in hotels."

"I think that was made clear," Sorano groaned. "It's not like we stayed in fancy places when we were with the Seis. I was in a company with five creepy guys and a giant snake. We had to stay pretty inconspicuous, too."


	4. Chapter 4

Erza had settled down in a chair when Meredy popped up out of bed. Her face was lit up with an excited expression. She exchanged a quick glance with Sorano and then looked at Erza.

"Come on," she said with a grin, taking Erza's hand and dragging her out the door. Erza was taken by surprise and allowed herself to be pulled limply. "We were going to meet the others in the tearoom to plan out tomorrow."

"But," Erza began, only to be silenced as Sorano threw a pillow at her face. The two girls pulled her down the hallway and shoved her into a small room. The room was painted a light blue and contained a low, square table with two cushioned chairs on either end. Meredy and Sorano pushed Erza into one of the chairs. The door opened and Cobra and Sawyer rushed into the room, tossing a disgruntled Jellal into the other chair.

"What is this?!" Erza demanded. Her bewildered eyes scanned from one suspicious character to another. What was going on?

"You two stay here, drink tea, and discuss what happens tomorrow," Sawyer told them with a smirk. Sorano passed Erza a teacup with pink liquid dwelling inside it.

"We'll go and enjoy ourselves,' she said, smiling.

"Don't expose yourselves!" Jellal called after them hurriedly as they left the room. Cobra passed him a cup and stood there for a moment. He glanced from Erza and Jellal and back, his grin widening. Erza suddenly remembered her thoughts weren't safe and blushed slightly, her cheeks turning pink. Cobra swept out of the room and shut the door firmly.

At the click of the door slamming shut, Erza looked at Jellal. He seemed to be chewing on the inside of his cheek, a habit he'd had since he was a child, most often used when he was unsure of what to do.

"Do you know what they're up to?" Erza muttered irritably. His eyes flicked to hers.

"My guess," Jellal started quietly, "Is Meredy told the others to make sure we got some time alone. I'm certain this was coordinated." He took a slow sip of his tea, his eyes downcast.

"Why would she do that?" she wondered. Jellal cleared his throat.

"I found out Meredy witnessed a rather intimate…well, you know," he trailed off, his face flushing slightly. Erza almost choked on her tea.

"She did?!" she interrupted, upset. Jellal nodded slightly, not meeting her eyes.

"Or overheard, at the very least."

Erza covered her face with her hands in shame. Jellal looked at her sympathetically for a moment, then drank more from his cup.

"This isn't so bad," he mentioned. Erza looked at his sharply.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, surprised.

"When was the last time we had a normal conversation?" he answered with a question of his own and a simple smile. Erza thought for a moment.

"About nine years ago."

"It's been even longer on my side. And I'm not sure those count."

Erza smiled slightly in an attempt to relax.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Anything you want."

Erza looked at him for a moment.

"Why did you find me before you left Magnolia?" she asked quietly.

Jellal looked surprised by her question.

"I wanted to see you," he told her. "I had to make sure you were all right after the war."

Erza's skin shivered.

"So,you heard what happened?" she asked softly. She stared into her teacup. Jellal looked back at her in surprise.

"What happened?" he asked her seriously, staring at her intently. Erza rubbed at her wrists almost unconsciously.

"I was…Mira and I were…"

Erza trailed off, staring at Jellal. His breathing had become deeper, and his eyes were blinking sluggishly.

"Something's wrong," he spoke in alarm. His eyes rolled back into his head and closed as he slumped forward onto the table. His cup fell to the ground and splintered upon impact, the golden yellow liquid from inside flooding the shards.

Erza gasped in shock. The gold tea. She bent down quickly to smell it, and cringed as the familiar scent wafted into her nose. It was the same drug that the ex-chairman had used on her and Mira. Before...

She shook Jellal's body hurriedly, her anxiety growing each second. His body was completely limp, offering no signal of resistance. She pried open his eyelid, showing a slack green eye. She placed her hand over his chest and felt his steady heartbeat and chest rising and falling. He was still breathing and didn't seem to be in immediate danger.

So what was the purpose of the drugs?

Erza glanced at the shattered cup. Cobra. He was the one who had given Jellal the cup containing the drug. That must have been what he had stolen from the apothecary shop. And Sorano had been in on the plot as well. Why had she trusted them?!

Erza punched the ground with a frustrated scream. She knew no amount of shaking Jellal would wake him. What was the purpose of this? A prank?

She glanced back at Jellal's comatose body. His face looked oddly peaceful and relaxed, for once.

Erza stood up and twisted the knob of the door. It was locked from the outside. She slammed her full body weight against the door, but it refused to budge. She stepped back slightly, then jumped as the door exploded.

Through the cloud of wood shavings, two masked figures charged into the small room. Erza's eyes had barely registered the dark forms before they smashed into her and knocked her body to the ground. One of them held her head up by the hair while the other scooped up Jellal's limp body.

Erza barely had the chance to shout before the person holding her pressed a metal gloved hand to her forehead and sent a signal that caused her confused brain to erupt in pain. She screamed once, then fell to the floor as her mind changed to a soothing black.


	5. Chapter 5

Erza sat anxiously on the rock floor, watching the barred door with unwavering eyes.

"When is he coming back?" she asked worriedly.

"We don't know, Erza," Simon told her honestly. He stood behind her with his arms crossed.

"But he's been gone for hours!" she cried. Simon's shoulders slumped. He never liked seeing her sad.

"Grandpa Rob," he said, addressing the nearby old man in their cell. "Do you think Jellal will make it back alive?"

The elder looked at the young children carefully. He didn't want to deprive them of their hope, but giving them false expectations might hurt them more. He decided to advise them as best as he could in these luckless circumstances.

"Nothing is certain, of course," he began. "But that boy is strong. I believe he will return to us."

Erza turned her hopeful face to look at him.

"Really?" she asked trustingly. If Grandpa said it would be okay, then everything would be all right.

"What he did wasn't exceedingly serious. They punish disrespect and mutinous thoughts. He'll return when they believe they've beaten it out of him."

Erza nibbled her lip nervously. Jellal was being punished for defending a young boy who was too weak to continue working. The boy wasn't from their cell group, but her friend had noticed his hardship anyway. The kid had dirty black and white hair, dark eyes, and a perpetual sleepy and scared look on his face. Jellal had been mouthy with the guard who was hurting the boy, and respect was the last thing on his mind.

"It'll be okay, Er-chan!" Milliana encouraged her. The young girl was only seven, but she did her best to be chipper in spite of everything when she could for the sake of her friends.

"Get back!" a harsh voice shouted into the cell. Erza's heart did a leap in anticipation as she scurried into the back of the cave with the others. The gate opened and a young boy was pushed inside. The door slammed shut behind him, entrapping them in the prison once more.

"Jellal!" she exclaimed, rushing forward. The eager girl skidded and slowed to a stop as she observed him. His small body was tired and worn with the harsh wounds of a whip spread all over his body. He was breathing heavily and his body was shaking slightly.

His eyes looked over them with an unfocused and blurry gaze. For a panicked moment, Erza was afraid he didn't know who they were.

Then a smile spread across his face.

"Erza!"

He rushed over to her and knocked her to the ground. They tumbled to the floor and landed with Erza's back on the pebbles and Jellal positioned over her. Erza's breath caught in her throat as she stared up at him. He smiled down at her and leaned down, pressing his tattooed cheek to hers in a display of affection.

A force jumped and knocked Jellal's body off of her. Erza sat up, seeing Simon and Jellal tussling on the rock floor.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Simon growled, pushing the other boy away from Erza.

"Ow, careful," Jellal groaned, rubbing at his bloody shoulders. Simon scowled.

"Don't touch her!"

"Simon, it's okay," Erza said quietly. "Jellal didn't hurt me."

Simon's scowl deepened. He was very protective of her, almost like an older brother. Erza liked him a lot, but sometimes he could be overprotective when he didn't need to be. Jellal scooted away from him until he was sitting near Erza again. He propped his arms on his knees that were tucked into his body and rested his chin on them wearily.

"Was punishment scary?" she asked in a small voice. "Did it hurt?"

Jellal lifted his head and glanced away.

"No," he spoke quietly. "It wasn't scary at all. It didn't hurt very much."

Erza gazed at him silently for a moment. She knew he was hiding the truth. Jellal was a clumsy liar. She wished he thought enough of her to be honest.

"Are you sure?" she asked softly. He turned his face to look at her.

"Yes," he told her. "I'm fine."

Erza touched her small fingers to one of the lashes on his arm. He flinched slightly, but let her lean her head against his shoulder. Jellal wrapped his arm around her small body and held her close to him.

 _My embrace means trust and giving me the strength to stand by your side._


	6. Chapter 6

Erza blinked her eyes open wearily. She groaned as she attempted to move. Her muscles ached as she sat up. She scanned her surroundings warily. Metal walls faced her on all sides and a cold iron floor lay beneath her tired body. It wasn't a huge enclosure, but it didn't appear to be a minuscule one. It was about the size of a an average sized room. Crates were littered around the ground haphazardly.

Her eyes scanned the room warily and gasped in surprise as her eyes locked onto the body of her comrade. His wrists were enclosed in manacles chained to the ceiling of the room. The chain was short, forcing his body into a lax standing position. His eyes were closed and his body was slack. He was still asleep.

Erza stood up shakily and moved over to his limp form. The floor beneath her rumbled unsteadily, nearly causing her to trip over the boxes on her way over. Her friend's cloak had been stripped off and only a dark undershirt covered his chest. She placed her hands over his shoulders and shook his body as hard as she could.

"Hey! Jellal!" she shouted, trying to rouse him from his drug-induced slumber. "Wake up!"

A slight groan rumbled from his throat as his eyes blinked open wearily.

"What?" he slurred sleepily. He gazed at her face for a second, then snapped into focus as he caught a glimpse of the room around them.

"Erza, where are we?"

"I don't know," she answered with a frown. Jellal looked at his bound wrists that hung just above eye level. He tried to pull away forcefully, but the black chains held him tight.

"Hold on," Erza began. She closed her eyes and attempted to focus on requipping, but nothing happened. She tried again, but no change occurred. She could see her magic, but she couldn't quite grasp ahold of it. At the moment, she couldn't even summon a butter knife.

"Your magic won't work," Jellal told her. "Mine won't, either."

"Why?" she challenged. "I'm not restrained."

Jellal nodded his head at the back of the room. Erza glanced back and saw a large, pale white brick sitting on the floor. Now that she noticed it, she could feel her magic being pulled in the object's direction out of her reach. It was frustrating.

"Because of that," he told her. "It's a magic stone used to seal any mage's magic in its vicinity. They use them to build the dungeons of Era."

Erza shivered. She had forgotten how a year of his life had been spent while she had been under the spell of the Fairy Sphere.

"I suppose you're used to this, then," she murmured.

"Unfortunately," Jellal muttered, tugging on his restraints with frustration. "It's fine if it's just me, but this is a problem."

"Do you think this is the Council, then?" Erza asked. Jellal shook his head.

"The Magic Council was murdered by the demons of Tartaros," he explained. "And if this was the Rune Knights, they probably wouldn't have taken you along with me. Espionage isn't their style. Drugging me first tells us it wasn't them, especially if there wasn't an official arrest. My guess is this is a bounty hunter's carriage."

Erza could feel the metal room rumbling as it traveled on wheels over a rocky path. His assumption was probably correct. They were being taken somewhere.

"But what about Cobra?" she questioned. "He gave you the tea with the drug. I saw him steal it from the apothecary!"

"Erik didn't do this," Jellal told her calmly.

"You don't know that!"

"Erza."

He waited patiently for her to take a breath in an attempt to calm herself. When she had finished, he said "If I don't believe in them, who will?"

Erza growled and stalked around the perimeter of the carriage while her partner remained leashed to his post. A flash of metal caught her eye as she passed one of the numerous crates. She threw the lid off and snatched the heavy sword she found inside.

"Well, however we got here, we can't stay." Erza walked forward and brought the sword back in preparation to take a swing at Jellal's chain.

"Wait!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide open in alarm. Erza shouldered her weapon and stared at him in surprise.

"What is it?" she asked, irritated.

"You can't cut the chain," he told her seriously. Anger flared through her body.

"Do you _want_ to go back to Era?!" she exploded. "You're just going to let them kill you?!"

Jellal tried to speak, but Erza refused to let him utter a word.

"I'm not going to let you die, and we're not going to stay here," she said firmly. She brought her sword back to swing again.

"Erza, just listen to me! Please!"

Erza hesitated, seeing glimpses of desperation in his expression. Jellal was pulling at his chain, trying to keep it from her sword.

"This is a living body link chain," he told her carefully, his eyes on her weapon. "If you cut or break it, I die."

Erza lowered her sword.

"Are you certain?"

He nodded.

"They use these back at Erza. Trust me, I know what this is."

Erza lowered her sword and stared at the ugly black restraints.

"Is there any way to unlock them without resulting in your death?"

Jellal nodded again.

"The key will unlock them safely, or Meredy can bind and negate the Living Link spell. I can't be sure of anything else.

Erza gazed at him in surprise.

"You stopped me from ending your life," she spoke quietly. "You don't think you should die anymore?"

"I have responsibilities now," Jellal told her decisively. "I can't let the darkness win."

Erza stared at Jellal silently. He looked back at her carefully. She stepped forward instinctively, moving close to his body. Without thinking clearly, she closed her eyes and leaned in, kissing his cheek over the center of his tattoo. His skin jumped at first, but soon relaxed. He stood passively as she rubbed her cheek against his and stepped away.

"That's not fair, Erza," Jellal told huskily. His eyes had widened, through the rest of his body remained still as a statue. "I can't protect you from here."

* * *

 _The children in the cell were gathered together in a circle, sitting on the cold rock floor. To unwind from the day's labor, they were playing what was meant to be a light-hearted game of truth or dare. Milliana started them off._

 _"Sho, truth or dare?" she squeaked. Sho blinked his nervous eyes. He had been the latest child forced to take residence in their cell, and was even smaller than Milliana herself. He suffered from panic attacks frequently, and had experienced one earlier that day. He was quiet and not as rowdy as several of the other children in the group._

 _"Truth," he whispered softly. He huddled next to Erza, of whom he'd grown particularly attached. Milliana grinned._

 _"Why are you always with Er-chan?" she asked. "Do you like her or something?"_

 _Sho shook his head._

 _"No." He snuggled into Erza's side. "She's like my big sister"_

 _Milliana, apparently satisfied, turned the reins over to Wally, who scanned the circle for his victim. He grinned devilishly as his eyes locked onto Erza's._

 _"Hey Erza, truth or dare?"_

 _Erza was surprised. She glanced up from rubbing Sho's scalp into Wally's mischievous eyes._

 _"Uh…truth."_

 _From looking at Wally's smile, Erza could tell she had made a huge mistake._

 _"Who would you rather kiss?" the young boy began evilly, "Simon, or Jellal?"_

 _Erza and Simon both instantly blushed. Simon began stuttering in a panic, but Wally shoved his protests aside._

 _"You have to answer the question," he insisted. Erza swallowed nervously and looked at the two boys. Simon looked flustered, but Jellal merely looked interested in her answer, with a hint of pink coloring his cheeks._

 _Erza squirmed nervously. They were her friends; she didn't want to hurt and reject one by choosing the other. However, if she had to answer, honesty would be her best bet. She had known Simon much longer, of course, but they were just friends. On the other hand…_

 _"Jellal," she forced herself to say quietly. In a desperate attempt to stay the disappointed look on Simon's face, she hurried with "But only as a reward for him protecting us."_

 _Jellal smiled at her, sending a tingling sensation through her body. When had it begun that every acknowledgment he gave her made her feel as if she were floating?_

 _Simon, on the other hand, looked down at the floor._

 _"I could protect you, too," he murmured sullenly. Erza's embarrassment deepened._

 _"Can we just move on?" she asked hurriedly. "It's Sho's turn now."_

 _"Okay, okay,' Wally allowed with a grin. "Whatever you want, Erza."_

* * *

Erza stared at Jellal, a blush creeping up her cheeks. Flustered, she turned away quickly and began inspecting the metal walls of the carriage. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed anxious movements of Jellal's body. His muscles were tensed stiffly, spasming slightly, and his skin was trembling faintly. His breaths were quick and shallow.

"What's wrong?" she asked, running her hand against an iron wall, searching for weaknesses. "Other than what I already know."

"Nothing," he muttered. Erza glanced back.

"Don't lie to me. Not now."

Jellal was silent for a moment, then mumbled something inaudibly.

"What did you say?" Erza asked.

"I'm somewhat claustrophobic," Jellal said, avoiding her gaze. Erza tilted her head to the side.

"Somewhat?"

"Completely enclosed spaces with no visible exits or air spaces can give me panic attacks." He pulled at his shackles helplessly. "And these don't help."

"Are you having an attack now?" Erza questioned. She did her best to wear a calm aura as she tried to help her friend.

"Nearly."

His voice was taking on a strained tone as his breathing sped up steadily.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Come closer."

Erza's eyebrows creased in confusion.

"Wouldn't that make you feel more closed in?" she wondered. Jellal looked uncomfortable.

"It feels better if someone else is with me," he admitted. "Isolation hurts."

Erza stared at him for a moment, then stepped closer until she was standing in front of his body. She could feel the racing of his heartbeat and pulse through the small gap that divided them.

"Is that better?"

Jellal took a deep breath.

"Yes. Thank you." He was quiet for a moment before saying "I'm sorry they took you."

"Why?" Erza asked, trying to pull his manacles off his wrist futilely. She avoided looking into his face and concentrated on her task.

"The hunters are after me. You shouldn't have been involved."

"Nonsense," Erza panted. "You must stop this cycle of blaming yourself. It's quite useless." She froze as her fingers fell on his restrained hands. She squeezed his fingers tentatively, trying to be reassuring.

"Aw, how cute," a strange voice laughed. Erza whirled around to see a man standing in front of an open door in the metal cage that led to the outside. He was blocking the only visible exit, which slammed shut as he began to walk closer. Erza's nerves spiked as she looked into the face of their captor.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Heads up warning that this part does contain some adult themes but it won't go too far.**

"Who are you?" Erza demanded to know. The strange person chuckled. Dark blue-gray hair fell down his back, complimented by black eyes and tan skin. His form was muscular and he looked strong. His face was all hard planes and sharp edges, giving him an unfriendly and menacing appearance.

"My name is Wallace," he answered her coolly. "And you both are my bounty."

His eyes skimmed her form. Erza's skin prickled as his coal dark eyes took in all of her assets. Her companion glared at the new arrival with hate burning in his aura.

"Let her go!" Jellal spat out angrily. "She doesn't have a reward. She's worthless to you."

Wallace peered at his chained prisoner. A slight chuckle sounded from his throat.

"But she's not worthless to you, is she?" he asked. Erza was surprised to hear an animalistic growl rise from Jellal's constricting throat.

"Leave her alone," he hissed. Wallace blinked, then grinned.

"I don't think so."

He lunged forward and grabbed Erza by the shoulder. His touch seemed to burn straight through her skin. She thrashed, trying to pull away, but his grip was like iron.

"None of that, now, Red," he chuckled. He forced her to kneel in front of his body and pressed a glowing hand to her throat. Erza's eyes widened.

"Magic?" she wondered. "But how-"

Wallace smirked.

"I made that sealing brick over there. I can use my magic, but you can't."

Erza froze as she felt a strange sensation slither across her skin. A familiar hiss filled her ears. She looked down to see a black snake-patterned magic tighten and wind under her clothes across her body. The scales burned her skin and bound her movements. She screamed as her mind flashed back to the last time this spell had been used.

 _"It's just a bind snake. I placed it on you during our heartwarming embrace earlier."_

Erza tried to struggle, but her body wouldn't respond. She couldn't move. She was vulnerable. A roar built up in her ears and drowned out her senses. She looked up at Wallace with straining eyes, trying to regain focus through her panic. He looked down at her with a sly smile on his face

"Have you felt a bind snake's caress before?" he asked with mocked concern. "It doesn't feel good, does it?"

"Release her immediately!" Jellal insisted. Wallace looked back to him in annoyance.

"What will it take for you to shut up?" he wondered aloud. Jellal glared at him with furious eyes.

"Release her, and I'll be quiet."

"No," Erza muttered, struggling against the painful bind spell. Wallace turned away from her and stepped towards Jellal with a menacing air. He kicked over a wooden crate, which spilled out a variety of torture-based weapons. Wallace picked up a barbed whip and stroked it lovingly. He touched the weapon to Jellal's cheek, slowly scratching a cut into his skin with one of the barbs. Jellal gritted his teeth, but didn't say a word.

"Still feel like talking, lover-boy?" Wallace grinned. Jellal stared him down, an eerie look crossing his face as a slight smile crept into his expression.

"You think I fear that?" he asked with a laugh. Wallace looked at him for a moment. He leaned back, studying his prisoner.

"No, you've probably built up a tolerance for this sort of thing," he said with grudging respect. A smile slipped onto his face. "It still hurts though."

He struck with the whip lightning-fast, its barbed leather and metal lashing Jellal's body with a savage _crack!_ Erza gasped as his body seized and shook with pain, then stiffened and tensed automatically in preparation of receiving more blows. The barbed spikes of the whip had cut through the cloth and sliced through sections of his skin, leaving blood trickling slowly from his wounds.

"What, no noise?" Wallace complained, coiling his whip. He took a step forward, leaning close to Jellal's ear. "You know, you're wanted for 100,000,000J. That's a pretty hefty reward for such a youngling like yourself. And wanted dead or alive, no less. I could just finish the job, but I like to drag my bounty back screaming to wherever they tried to escape from. You could oblige a little. I might bring you back alive, but I don't have to bring you back in one piece."

"Stop this brutality!" Erza insisted, struggling against the spell restraining her. Wallace smirked at her.

"I don't think you get it, sweetheart," he told her. "You two are my property now. I'll do what I like with my possessions."

"There may be a warrant for me," Jellal groaned, trying to look up. "But you can't legally keep her."

"I can do whatever I want. I've got immunity protection from the council and the kingdom." He leaned in closer to Jellal's ear. "And bringing in the mage they hate the most is sure to earn me even more favor."

Wallace took a step back from him and crossed his arms, looking at the chained figure.

"So this is the guy who destroyed the first Magic Council? They must have been even more pathetic than I thought. Tell me, how'd you do it?"

"I didn't kill them," Jellal hissed, glaring at the bounty hunter. The other man only grinned.

"Eh, maybe not, but at least the demon who destroyed the second council finished the job. But to your credit, you did disrupt the system and demolish the buildings. Your betrayal made people's trust fall to the earth, and no one trusted those old figureheads anymore. It's for the best that they're gone now."

Erza gritted her teeth, biting her tongue to keep herself from crying out in pain. Her blood boiled and her skin burned where the snake touched her. She shook against her bonds and moaned as blood roared in her ears. The voices of the two men in the carriage were drowned out in her own panic. Even as she tried to hold it in, a whimper slipped past her lips. Jellal immediately looked to her, his eyes widening as he witnessed her struggling.

Wallace turned and watched her with a blank expression. He was silent as he simply observed her for a moment. Jellal twisted back to him with a burning aura.

"Let her go!" he pleaded. His face grew pale as he looked at the bounty hunter, seeing something in his eyes that Erza was too distracted to pick up. Wallace looked at him momentarily, then took a step towards Erza.

"Come here, Red," he said, a sadistic grin twisting on his face. He grabbed the collar of Erza's breastplate and dragged her closer to him. Erza managed to focus past the pain and fought against the spell, but to no avail. Her toned body had never failed her once during battle, but now it had no choice _but_ to fail.

Wallace forced her to kneel in front of him. He ran his fingers across her breastplate, clucking his tongue woefully. Erza shuddered as his hands swept past her bosom.

"This won't do," he murmured to himself. He dug his fingers into the gaps in her armor and ripped it off her body. Erza's breath caught as her beloved steel armor was tossed aside, bent and broken as if it was worthless. Wallace's eyes scanned her newly revealed form greedily. With her breastplate gone, all that remained was the thin black shift she wore underneath her armor and her blue skirt.

"If you so much as touch me," Erza threatened "I rip your lungs from your still beating heart." Through her anger, the bind snake's pain had become less noticeable, and she was able to focus more easily, though she knew her clarity would be short-lived.

Wallace pressed a finger to her collarbone. "There," he said, looking pleased with himself. "Now feel free to rip any part of me you like."

The bind snake hissed and coiled even tighter under his gaze. Erza cried out, invigorating his sadistic senses. In the background, she could hear Jellal struggling, but she knew he couldn't break his confinement any more than she could.

Wallace pressed closer to her, noticing her wide eyes and trembling body. Though Erza never cared much about modesty, she never allowed anyone to get close to her, punishing those who desired only her form.

"Oh," he considered after a moment. "You've never been touched, have you?"

Erza said nothing. Every inch of her body strained to get away, to crawl from his filthy touch.

"Not even by this guy?" Wallace asked. He laughed. "Wow. Someone's got some self-restraint. I can't say I have the same amount, though."

He forced her down on her back, his hands roaming all across her form. Erza's eyes and ears were squeezed shut. She could do nothing. The mighty Titania couldn't save herself. She faintly heard Jellal shouting and could feel pressure on her skin, but her emotions and senses were shielding herself from the present horror.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I officially apologize for the late update compared to my other ones. My excuse: I finished uploading the prewritten chapters, and I was gone for most of August. I'll be updating less frequently now that school has started. I was asked if I had given up on this story and I haven't. I was just finished with the quick updates. Thank for reading!**

* * *

"WALLACE!" a feminine voice shrieked angrily. Jellal anxiously whipped around to see a familiar red-haired woman step into the carriage. She moved furiously with a demand for personal justice. "What the hell is taking so lo-"

She stopped and stared down at her companion. Jellal realized with a start as he watched her that her familiarity was no coincidence. This was the same woman that had approached him in the park not long ago. Scarlett Hayes. The situation had both been strange and nostalgic. Since he and the other members of Crime Sorciere wore the cloaks, they had essentially vanished from public eye and were usually not spoken to, especially not so forwardly.

But when Jellal and Ultear had been council members, they had often been approached in public by fans, and he had run into more than admirer that wanted him. He thought it amusing, but being approached in front of Erza was somewhat embarrassing.

Jellal noticed Scarlett's chest rising and falling heatedly in an attempt to calm herself before she exploded as she stared down at the hunter and the restrained knight.

"Seriously?!" she asked. "This is what's holding us up? If you couldn't keep it in your pants, you should've at least waited until we stopped for the night."

Wallace glared at Scarlett before shoving Erza away from him. She collapsed in the corner with a small yelp crying from her limp body. The black snake patterns winding on her skin slowly faded with a hiss until they vanished from her body.

"Why do you make it your personal vendetta to interrupt me every time I want to have fun?" he growled at the woman irritably.

"You can have your fun, as long as it doesn't take up _my_ time."

Jellal breathed heavily and peeled his eyes away from Erza's fallen body to glare at his captors.

"Who are you?" he asked the crimson-haired woman in a threatening tone. She and her comrade had hurt his Scarlet. They would not go unpunished.

The woman looked at him and her face lit up in a grin.

"If you've claimed the girl, then can I have this one later?" she asked the bounty hunter. Wallace rolled his eyes and stood up reluctantly.

"No, you slut. He's the real treasure. Off-limits. You know how you can get attached to your pets." He peered down at her from his tall stature. "You haven't got too involved in your character, right?"

Scarlett laughed. The joyful sound resonated through Jellal's ears and caused him to wince. He had known she wanted him from her behavior in the park, but he had no way of knowing she dealt with demons such as these. He inwardly cursed himself for his naivety.

"You know I didn't go to lengths to change my character for the charade. He is, after all, attractive."

She turned her head to look Jellal in the eyes. Her emerald green ones glittered with intent that made him want to shiver. He understood Erza's panic of being vulnerable. His chains held him up like a sack of meat available for viewing pleasure.

"I apologize for not introducing myself properly, Jellal-sama," Scarlett said, bowing politely. "We had a rather rude meeting in the park. I am Scarlett Hayes. It's been quite a while since we've had such an important guest."

Jellal clenched his teeth. The woman before him disgusted him. To think she bore the name of Scarlet! She dishonored Erza's precious color.

"Are you in league with this hunter, then?" he asked shortly. Scarlett seemed surprised. She clasped a hand to her heart in mock shock.

"In league? Do you use the term _in league_ when supporting your dear numbskull of a cousin?" she spoke, glancing towards Wallace with an unimpressed gaze. "Besides, it's not like being a bounty hunter is illegal."

"Maybe not in capturing me," Jellal said stiffly. "But imprisoning Erza here and subjecting her to your whim isn't only unlawful, but is dangerous. You've surely heard of Titania the Fairy Queen. She will come back to haunt you. I guarantee it."

Wallace looked down at Erza's crumpled form. "I think that whichever officials remain will be very interested to learn that _Titania Erza,_ the so-called defender of righteousness is keeping company with the master of a dark guild."

"Crime Sorciere is not a dark guild!" Jellal snapped back.

"A group of wizards operating without the lawful permission of the Magic Council or any alliances is a dark guild by definition, Blue. Especially if the members are all criminals."

Jellal glared as the hunter turned back to his supposed cousin, who kept glancing back at his restrained body. Her attention sent flickers of unease through his nerves, especially after seeing what Wallace was willing to do to Erza. He kept sneaking looks at Erza's wilted form. _Please be all right, Erza._

"Fine," Wallace was telling Scarlett. "How far away are we from the next pickup?"

"Not far," she replied. "We can get there by dawn if you can hold in your urges."

Wallace grimaced at her. "Like you never take ad- wait, what the hell is that?"

An intricate red pattern had slowly made its way onto Scarlett's cheek. She blushed and looked down, avoiding her cousin's gaze.

"I was inspired," she said in her defense. The mark vanished as cleanly as it had appeared. She looked back at Jellal. "I use Transformation magic, and sometimes I like to borrow traits from others. Your mark is really gorgeous by the way. Where did it come from?"

Jellal avoided her gaze. "It's nothing," he murmured. "Just a family thing."

Scarlett sighed, then propped the wagon door open. The dark outside beckoned, but Jellal wasn't free to pursue it.

"Come along, dear cousin," she called out to Wallace. "We have to go if you want to make the deadline." She glanced back at Erza. "And I would feel much more comfortable if you restrained her, please. Especially if you're going to leave your weapons littered around on the ground like a toddler."

Wallace reluctantly followed her orders, grumbling under his breath as he clasped another black chain around Erza's wrist. Jellal slowly relaxed as they exited the vehicle, the stress leaving his bones for the first time since the hunters had entered the space. He flinched as the metal door slammed shut and the wagon began rolling once more.

"Erza," he hissed quietly. "Are you all right?"

Erza's crumpled body shivered. Jellal felt anger at seeing the proud warrior chained like a common criminal, but at least she wasn't strung up like him. She shifted, groaning softly.

"Jellal?" she murmured, stirring slightly. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, Erza. It's me."

For a moment he felt as if he and she were in a different time. When they were younger and life was simpler, yet just as twisted and cruel.

Erza's expression winced as if still in pain or remembering something unpleasant.

"You," she mumbled, her eyes still squeezed shut. "You did this." She trembled as invisible strands of magic coiled around her body and dark hands roamed her vulnerable figure.

Jellal let out a breath in surprise. "What? Erza, the hunter was attacking you. It wasn't me. Don't you remember?"

"You did," she insisted. "But it was bleeding instead."

 _What?_

Then he realized. He _had_ done this to her. He possessed the same binding spell that had also caused pain to Erza. But instead of coal black, his snake was blood red. He used her trust as a weapon and betrayed her precious embrace to bind her in his bleeding coils. And…

He had told her he loved her, just to enrage her even more. That had been his shining hour; why not use every card available? He captured Titania, and she would never be able to escape.

Jellal stared hollowly at Erza. Her chest rose and fell steadily as she drifted into well-needed sleep. He had watched her sleep many times when they were younger. He always claimed a place right beside her to be there whenever she needed him and to guard her from any monsters that might harm her in her slumber. Looking at her had always inspired hope, but he felt utterly hopeless now.

"I'm sorry, Erza," he murmured under his breath. She couldn't hear the words, but he said them anyhow. "I'm so sorry."


End file.
